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<title>Dance To The Tune Of The Puppet Master by deanandsam</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25164628">Dance To The Tune Of The Puppet Master</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanandsam/pseuds/deanandsam'>deanandsam</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Almost death fic, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Season 15, billie - Freeform, chuck - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:13:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>917</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25164628</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanandsam/pseuds/deanandsam</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam is killed by a rogue monster. Dean makes a decision.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Sam and Dean Winchester Gen</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dance To The Tune Of The Puppet Master</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dean sat in silent vigil at his brother’s side, his hands clasped in his lap, his eyes fixed on the still body.</p><p>How many times had he found himself in the self-same position, Sam either hurt or worse, as in this case, lost to him?</p><p>Since that first time at Cold Oak, nothing had changed. The anguish and desperation had only grown exponentially. He’d never gotten used to his brother’s pain let alone his death.</p><p>He reached out his hand to caress Sam's cheek. It was cold, marmoreal, like a statue.<br/>
At these moments, Dean’s first thoughts would've been how to get Sam back; which supernatural being to contact to implore for his brother’s life, for them to put Sam’s soul back into his body as Death had done all those years ago and give Dean back the only thing he truly loved, his little brother.<br/>
But this time, Dean didn’t feel the urgency, didn’t want to contact any of the fuckers. He was done. This was it.</p><p>Maybe even the all-seeing Chuck hadn’t factored in the rogue fugly who’d transfixed Sam’s heart with his razor-sharp appendage. Dean certainly hadn’t, the shock of what happened lacerating his entire body to its core.</p><p>Sam had tumbled to the ground before Dean’s horrified eyes. This time, unlike the werewolf wound, Sam wasn’t going to recover.</p><p>So, here they were, the Winchester brothers, one dead and one barely alive, though that remaining spark of life would soon be extinguished.<br/>
As he trailed his hand down Sam’s bloodied sleeve to trace the long slim fingers, Dean felt a wry smile curl his lips. </p><p>Finally, this was the end for them. Strange that he felt such relief.</p><p>‘Don’t worry Sammy, you won’t be alone for long,” he murmured. “You better be there to welcome me when I arrive, dude. And don’t forget the cooler, I’m gonna need a beer after all this.“<br/>
Reluctantly, Dean got to his feet. He didn’t want to leave Sam alone, not for a moment, even if all that was left was an inanimate body but he had things to do, to prepare for their final road trip in the Impala.</p><p>A swish of moving air stopped him in his tracks but Dean didn’t turn around.</p><p>“Winchester,” a deep female voice called. “ Where are you going? I don’t usually do home visits so it would be good manners to say hi.”</p><p>Dean’s voice was flat and emotionless. “What do you want Billie? I don’t remember calling you.”<br/>
He kept his back to the female Death. He didn’t care what she was here for, nor did he want anything from her or her buddies. He was through begging for his life or that of Sam’s.</p><p>“It wasn’t Sam’s time,” she said. “Somehow the monster’s arrival wasn’t documented anywhere.”</p><p>“It’s somehow comforting to know that neither you nor Chuck are infallible,” Dean snorted. “Something still manages to slip through the links, now and then. Anyhow, it makes no difference.”</p><p>Dean began walking away.<br/>
‘Dean, I’m here to give Sam back to you. I’m allowed to do it because of his unforeseen death.”</p><p>Once Dean’s heart would have grown wings and danced with joy at the offer, but today, it left him completely cold.<br/>
He’d had enough, and most of all Sam had had enough. He wasn’t going to bring his brother back to be hurt and tortured again. Someone else could save the world if there was any hope of that.<br/>
The Winchesters were done.</p><p>‘Dean,” Billie called. She wasn’t used to being ignored. “Did you hear what I said?”<br/>
With a sigh, Dean faced her. “I don’t want anything from you. So leave me alone. I need to tend to my brother.”</p><p>Her eyes followed him as he walked out of the cabin and over to the Impala. She hadn’t expected this. </p><p> </p><p>“Is Dean not playing ball today? “ Chuck asked, materializing at her side. “That’s why I find them so fascinating, you know. They never fail to surprise, but I’m afraid the game isn’t over yet. I’m the puppet master and I pull the strings. Not Dean.”</p><p>He passed his hand over Sam’s body and hummed with approval as the young man’s chest began to heave.</p><p>Chuck turned to Billie. “Your predecessor was far more effective. He even scared me sometimes. You’re going to have to do better than this, Billie, or I’m going to have to recruit someone more imposing.”</p><p> </p><p>Dean was still preparing the back seat of the Impala to receive Sam’s body when a feeble voice called out to him.<br/>
“Dean, what happened?”</p><p>The older man turned and though he'd accepted and even welcomed Sam’s death as a way of ending both their suffering, he couldn’t stop the rush of happiness when he saw his brother’s tall figure leaning against the doorpost.</p><p>Running to him, Dean pulled his sibling into his arms. He felt tears coming to his eyes but he couldn’t have said if they were of happiness or desperation. He realized there would be no peace for them until the powerful beings who controlled everything decided they were done.<br/>
In the meantime, he had a little brother to attend to.</p><p>“It’s okay, Sammy. I’m here and I’m never going to leave you.”<br/>
Sam’s head lolled tiredly on his shoulder and Dean held on tight. He’d stand here like this forever if it was what Sam needed.<br/>
One day though, he'd have his revenge on those who'd interfered in their lives. Word of Dean Winchester!</p>
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